Nude Swimming In Public Schools

[rdfcguy]

I love history a lot, and it was a pleasant surprise to me that there was an expositional film on this topic. It's amazing to see how quickly cultural attitudes change in just one or two generations. The person who made the video did a good job, and I like that he didn't try to present with a bias towards or against the subject, but gave the straight facts. Very interesting stuff!

[INnudeguy]

This is an excellent video series .  Used  this as one of the links in my initial conversation with my mom about social nudism.   I think this would make an excellent opening to start a conversation with other friends

[Sunlover]

I'd be very thankful now if the system forced me to swim in what's the most natural, logic and rational clothe for swimming, back when I was at my secondary school. We had twice a week obligatory swimming lessons as the PE exercise (2 times in the pool and 2 times in the sport hall weekly). Not only was the swimming suits considered normal and required, but we even showered wrongly, I mean in trunks also. Both before as after swimming.

Now, the thing about showering was really inappropriate. They should have told us and force us to do it wisely to maintain the right hygiene. I even felt it's not really right back 10 years ago, but of course no one had enough courage to strip and wash himself properly.

But the bigger thing, about swimming naked, would be something I would perhaps understand many years later, but once I had, I would appreciate it a lot. I know it now. And due to the self-conciousness I was taught to be the only righteous way to act like, I think I've lost a few years of enjoying myself in the body I live in and not be ashamed of how it lookes! Now that the idea of being ashamed of my own body seems so very ridiculous, I regret not having this good mindset earlier.

[TheNudeBot]

I wonder if any schools let 5he girls do this as well... there's usually a false negativity to females in any of these kind of regards

[Danee]

I wonder if any schools let 5he girls do this as well... there's usually a false negativity to females in any of these kind of regards

From a blog:




These photos were printed in a 1941 edition of LIFE.   The fact that this family magazine was sold to the public on virtually ever newsstand in America is very telling of the culture of the day.   Taking a camera into a boys' locker room at school and photographing teenage boys completely naked while showering, then, printing that photo taking up an entire half page for the world to look at was consider perfectly appropriate.   The published letters to the editor immediately subsequent to this edition never revealed any reader voicing concern about it.    But there is little doubt that had the photograph been taken in the girls' showers showing them stark naked, it never would have been printed anywhere.     This clearly evidences a double-standard that reaches well into the 20th century.



 


If you click on the link below, there are many, many newspaper reports and accounts of it.    The boys often had female instructors as well. 


https://sites.google.com/site/historicarchives4maleswimming/home/archives---mid-20th-century-to-current/photographs








http://stillrowing7-swimming.tumblr.com/

[nudedude90]

Really nice articles and movies..
I dont know the pros and cons axactly, but i think it was good, to swim naked for kids somehow.
You learn to get over bodyshame and learn to not see everything sexual or somehow learn to not be ashemed about your body.
When i was a kid, i off course i dindt swim naked in a public bath, but it was stil oke to just shower naked  under the showers. Never felt weird about it.. Off course because i went to nude resorts with my parents but i didnt see anything of shame on the other boys either..
When i go to the gym today (pretty often ) really everybody, also like grown older men even, stand there really shamefull with a towel afraid someone would see their but... sometimes i dont even dare to walk to the shower or sauna naked myselve anymore, because everybody then is watching you like you are some alien ( or better tries to avoid seeing you, because you are naked)  It mostly takes me a whole while to first get undressed then dressed again when i have to worry about someone seeing me naked .. i really have to hold my towel the around me the whole timem which falls off then, and trying to grap it again fast, only just looks more rediculous

[Dogoegma]

What really surprises me is the internet's denial of such events. It seems obvious to me that this was the case then, but look through google and you will find countless boards DEBATING the existence of mandated skinny dipping. Truly fascinating IMO. Think about it, there is a large enough cultural barrier such that the very notion of swimming naturally is seen as impossible to some. Personally I think that we should advocate to bring this system back (although for both genders), we might even be able to save money on filtration systems (if indeed that is a problem, but hey every little bit helps right?).

[rdfcguy]

What really surprises me is the internet's denial of such events. It seems obvious to me that this was the case then, but look through google and you will find countless boards DEBATING the existence of mandated skinny dipping. Truly fascinating IMO. Think about it, there is a large enough cultural barrier such that the very notion of swimming naturally is seen as impossible to some. Personally I think that we should advocate to bring this system back (although for both genders), we might even be able to save money on filtration systems (if indeed that is a problem, but hey every little bit helps right?).

It's a nice idea, but that ship has sailed. Our culture as a whole has moved past comfort with casual nudity, even with the same gender. However, in other ways it's advancing, such as with the growing topfreedom movement. It's possible that we'll return to that state, but it won't be anytime soon nor will nudging it towards nudity help. Just wait patiently.

[Sunlover]

What really surprises me is the internet's denial of such events. It seems obvious to me that this was the case then, but look through google and you will find countless boards DEBATING the existence of mandated skinny dipping. Truly fascinating IMO. Think about it, there is a large enough cultural barrier such that the very notion of swimming naturally is seen as impossible to some. Personally I think that we should advocate to bring this system back (although for both genders), we might even be able to save money on filtration systems (if indeed that is a problem, but hey every little bit helps right?).

It's a nice idea, but that ship has sailed. Our culture as a whole has moved past comfort with casual nudity, even with the same gender. However, in other ways it's advancing, such as with the growing topfreedom movement. It's possible that we'll return to that state, but it won't be anytime soon nor will nudging it towards nudity help. Just wait patiently.

Overall I agree on that, but instead of just waiting patiently I'd suggest taking some actions including stretching the silly law situations by ignoring some dumb restrictions and organising ourselves, naturists, into nude beaches or other places / events. I mean, waiting patiently PLUS living our lives the way we want them to be like, at least to some extent.

[TheNudeBot]

What really surprises me is the internet's denial of such events. It seems obvious to me that this was the case then, but look through google and you will find countless boards DEBATING the existence of
mandated skinny dipping. Truly fascinating IMO. Think about it, there is a large enough cultural barrier such that the very notion of swimming naturally is seen as impossible to some. Personally I think that we should advocate to bring this system back (although for both genders), we might even be able to save money on filtration systems (if indeed that is a problem, but hey every little bit helps right?).

It's a nice idea, but that ship has sailed. Our culture as a whole has moved past comfort with casual nudity, even with the same gender. However, in other ways it's advancing, such as with the growing topfreedom movement. It's possible that we'll return to that state, but it won't be anytime soon nor will nudging it towards nudity help. Just wait patiently.

I hate the idea of just waiting. You mentioned a movement, so not just waiting

[Kyle]

I know they did have nude swimming at my old school in Buffalo, NY. I am unsure though of how widespread this was. Or exactly when or why they changed.

[aidenwrestling]

our school pool requires like swimsuits. like everyone wears speedos but last year some of us did go out to the pool naked for a bit before coach came out and told us to go back to the lockerroom for our suits. it was mostly a dare but it was still kinda a swimming naked at school experience. i didnt know that they used to have naked swim in schools allowed tho. thats pretty cool. swimmin naked just like feels better anyway.

[TheNudeBot]

@Danee (to tge video) it seems odd that the girls would freak out despite earlier it seemed that it wasn't completely segregated. It also seemed like they had a choice but probably didn't pick it.

[Dogoegma]

Anyone got an idea on how much it costs to invest in a new swimming pool facility?

[cp]

Great Reading this is..

I especially like the Dear Abby article how surprised the mum was, and then the Answer from Abby about the fact she was more surprised with the fact the 19 year old introduced himself and walked her back to the house... well cool

Almost seems like we have gone backwards :-)